{
  "study": "We compiled every disclosed AI data-center water figure: the tracker",
  "url": "https://provenbrief.com/story/we-compiled-every-disclosed-ai-data-center-water-figure-the-tracker",
  "publisher": "ProvenBrief",
  "contentUpdatedAt": "2026-10-19T09:04:54.445Z",
  "terms": "Free to use with attribution to ProvenBrief and a link to the source page.",
  "tables": [
    {
      "key": "campus-water",
      "title": "Every dated per-campus AI water figure this compilation could verify",
      "measure": "Volume of water consumed or pumped, as stated by the named source, in the period recorded on each row.",
      "unit": "million gallons",
      "rows": [
        {
          "key": "the-dalles-2021",
          "label": "Google The Dalles, 2021 (annual)",
          "value": 355.1,
          "note": "Released after The Oregonian's records lawsuit; page 403s to our fetcher, figure verified via indexed text.",
          "source": "https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/we-now-know-how-much-water-googles-oregon-data-centers-use-after-city-drops-lawsuit-against-journalists/"
        },
        {
          "key": "the-dalles-2025",
          "label": "Google The Dalles, 2025 (annual)",
          "value": 550,
          "note": "Nearly 550 million gallons; page 403s to our fetcher; corroborated by Latitude Media.",
          "source": "https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2026/04/more-oregon-water-for-googles-data-centers-more-concern-over-secrecy.html"
        },
        {
          "key": "west-des-moines-jul-2022",
          "label": "Microsoft West Des Moines cluster, July 2022 (one month)",
          "value": 11.5,
          "note": "About 11.5 million gallons, per the West Des Moines Water Works via the Associated Press.",
          "source": "https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2023-09-10/artificial-intelligence-technology-behind-chatgpt-was-built-in-iowa-with-a-lot-of-water.html"
        },
        {
          "key": "google-papillion-2025",
          "label": "Google Papillion, Neb., 2025 (annual)",
          "value": 547.88,
          "note": "Reported by Fireball Group LLC for 2025; recovered when the filing's trade-secret redaction failed to a copy-paste.",
          "source": "https://www.1011now.com/2026/09/30/more-questions-than-answers-about-lincolns-google-data-center-water-electricity-usage/"
        },
        {
          "key": "google-lincoln-2026",
          "label": "Google Lincoln, Neb., year to Sep 2026 filing (annual)",
          "value": 13.299,
          "note": "Agate LLC's 13.299 megagallons cover cooling towers, evaporative systems and site operations; same failed redaction.",
          "source": "https://www.1011now.com/2026/09/30/more-questions-than-answers-about-lincolns-google-data-center-water-electricity-usage/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "campus-share",
      "title": "Share of the local water system attributable to one operator's campus",
      "measure": "Share of the named local water system's use attributable to the operator's campus or cluster, as stated by the source.",
      "unit": "percent of local water use",
      "rows": [
        {
          "key": "the-dalles-2021",
          "label": "Google The Dalles, 2021",
          "value": 25,
          "note": "Floor value: more than a quarter of all water used in the city, per The Oregonian's post-settlement reporting.",
          "source": "https://www.rcfp.org/dalles-google-oregonian-settlement/"
        },
        {
          "key": "the-dalles-2025",
          "label": "Google The Dalles, 2025",
          "value": 40,
          "note": "Nearly 40 percent of all water consumed in the entire city.",
          "source": "https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2026/04/more-oregon-water-for-googles-data-centers-more-concern-over-secrecy.html"
        },
        {
          "key": "west-des-moines-jul-2022",
          "label": "Microsoft West Des Moines cluster, July 2022",
          "value": 6,
          "note": "About 6 percent of all water used in the district, a district that also supplies residents' drinking water.",
          "source": "https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2023-09-10/artificial-intelligence-technology-behind-chatgpt-was-built-in-iowa-with-a-lot-of-water.html"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}